Faced, reinforced block wall



Feb. 16, 1954 R. w. MILLS FACED, REINFORCED BLOCK WALL MA w m y m B. W E x mm -15, w 5 &M w 221F432 96.21% 5 A 1?... H PM D r B 4 MW\\\\\M\\\\\\ A W ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 16, 1954 Robert W. Mills, dcceased',--late of Jacksonville, I Fla... by Qvella D. Mills, administratrix, Jack- Q Si hF a- This invention relatesto walls and floors made of blocks, and the principal object thereof is to provide a wall or fioor made of blocks and which are covered on their exposed surfaces with lathing sheets which may be subsequently covered with a finish facing material such as plaster or the like, the lathing sheets being erected simultaneously with the wall, and being adapted to provide insulating spaces between the plaster and the exposed face of the wall or floor to prevent heat or sound from passing therethrough.

The invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates several practical embodiments thereof, to enable othersfamiliar with the art to adopt and use the same; and will summarize in the claims, the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a building block for wall construction, showing a novel lathing sheet applied thereto prior to incorporation of the book in the wall ofa structure;

- Fig. 2 is a vertical'section through a wallformed 'of'a plurality of blocks with their lathing sheets secured together by mortar, and showing a plaster finish facing material applied to the lathing sheets.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a floor, showing the novel lathing sheets applied thereto,

and showing a finishing coating applied to the lathing sheets.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the vertical wall of a structure is formed of a plurality of building blocks A superimposed in courses, which blocks may be formed of any desired material, such as concrete, clay, terra cotta, cinders, wood, or the like, said blocks being of relatively large dimensions, preferably of the standard size (8" x 8" x 16'') of customary building blocks. However, the blocks may be of any other desired materials and of any other desired dimensions, and same may have one or more vertically disposed openings B therethrough, thus forming a hollow block construction for the purpose of insulating one exposed surface C thereof from the opposite exposed surface D thereof. As the vertical wall is formed, the ends of adjacent blocks A are secured together in horizontal courses by cement, mortar, or the like.

In forming the wall there is applied to the inner surface D of each block A, a metal lathing sheet I which. as shown in Fig. 1, covers the said surface D, the same preferably being formed of wire netting or reticulated expanded metal so as to provide a plurality of closely adjacent meshes 3 Claims. (Cl'. "12-42) into which the plaster P- or other finishingcoatin 'of the, wall will interlock, each-sheet I having an inturned flange Ia; at each end which is adapted to lie between the ends of adjacent blocks A-of the horizontal courses so that, as the mortar is applied to secure the ends of the blocks A of the horizontal course; togetherthe inner-ends ofthe flanges Ia, which are also reticulated or open mesh, will be embedded in the same plaster which connects the ends of adjacent blocks of the horizontal course.-

Intermediate the ends} of each sheet I are offset U-shaped crimps I 11 (Fig; -1) 'whi-chare of less depth than the flanges Ia and are adapted to contact the adjacent face D of the'block A throughout the height of the block- Ageaid crimps Ib maintaining the major portion of the sheet I spaced "from the face D of' theblock- A so as to provide an air space between the blockand the plaster coatingP. Thus, as the blocksA are laid toform the wall ofthe structure, the lathing sheets I-, which are preferably coextensivein area with the face D ofeach block .A, will besimultaneously anchored-in-place bythe flange Ia which; are partially embedded in the 'mortar: or

the like connecting the ends of the blocks A in horizontal courses. When the wall is completed, the entire face of the wall will be substantially completely covered by the metal lathing sheets to form a firm anchorage for the plaster P (Fig. 2) which is afterwards applied to the lathing sheets in the usual manner; the plaster, when applied, interlocking by knobs P (Fig. 2) of plaster which key into the openings of the reticulated sheets.

A similar construction can also be utilized in forming an insulated floor for the structure, the same being illustrated in Fig. 3. In Fig. 3 the base S may be of any desired type and upon the base S are laid a plurality of blocks A of the same general shape and construction as the blocks A of the vertical walls, the same being provided with openings B therein, which openings are arranged horizontally rather than vertically of the blocks A, so as to provide a lower face C engaging the foundation S and an upper face D which would normally form the inner fioor surface of the structure.

In this modification, the reticulated sheets I are provided covering the upper surfaceD of each of the blocks A, said sheets being provided with crimps Ib similar to the crimps Ib shown in Fig. 1. However, the end flanges Ix are preferably shorter than the end flanges Ia of the sheets shown in Fig. 1, the same being of same length 3 as the crimps lb and adapted to rest upon the upper surfaces D of the blocks A.

After the blocks forming the floor have been laid and the modified reticulated sheets placed thereon, plastic flooring material F is applied upon the sheets I, as shown in Fig. 3, the same keying into the meshes of the sheets I and connecting the adjacent flanges Ix together, as indicated in Fig. 3, the plastic F forming the interior surface of the floor of the structure.

The novel lathing provides for increased speed and low cost in constructing both walls and floors of structures, and can be utilized irrespective of the nature or type of blocks used in constructing the walls and floors. The novel constructionalso provides for air spaces between the plaster or interior flnish and the adjacent surfaces of the blocks. could be applied to the longer edges of the reticulated lathing sheets I, so that there will be no obstruction to the use of a trowel in applying the interior plaster P or floor plastic F. It is not necessary that the flanged ends la of the sheets I be finished, as such ends in the case of the vertical wall will be embedded in the mortar which connects the ends of the blocks in each horizontal course together. Obviously, the depth of the crimps lb should be regulated to provide the desired width of the air space between the face of the blocks and the plastic finish. The crimps lb across the wire mesh sheets i form both a spacing support for the lathing and also furnish a spring tensioning means to draw the flanged ends la tightly against the ends of the blocks A.

This invention is not limited to the exact forms shown in the drawing, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a structure formed of blocks superimposed in courses, in which the blocks disposed end-to-end are secured together by mortar; re-

. ticulated sheets substantially coextensive with .the exposed faces of the blocks respectively, each sheet having flanged ends engaging the ends of If desired, finished selvage edges its related block and embedded in the mortar connecting adjacent blocks, each sheet having one or more offset crimps intermediate and parallel with the flanges engaging the adjacent face of its related block; said crimps being substantially v-shaped and providing spring tension causing the flanged ends to draw tightly against the ends of the blocks; and a plastic finishing coating' covering said sheets and keying into the meshes thereof.

2. In a structure as set forth in claim 1, said blocks forminga vertical wall; and said flanges and crimps maintaining an insulating space between the .wall blocks and said plastic coating.

. 3. In combination with a building block or the like, a reticulated sheet having a body portion substantially coextensive with an exposed face of the block, said sheet having flanged ends engaging the ends of the block, and one or more offset crimps in the body portion thereof intermediate of and substantially parallel with the flanged ends, said crimps engaging the adjacent face of the block and maintaining said body portion in spaced relation to said face; saidcrimps being substantially V-shaped and providing spring tension causing the flanged ends to draw tightly against the ends of the blocks; and said sheet being adapted to support a plastic finishing coating in spaced relation to said adjacent face.

, OVELLA D. MILLS, Administratrz'r of the estate of Robert W. Mills,

deceased.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Williams May 15, 1934 

